Potentially a very nice day with good climbs starting with a trigger temperature of 26ºC in the valley.   We will probably find that local breezes due to convection on the mountains will win out near the terrain and I imagine it will be on the hill at Chia (SE early on and will also come on early at Peña Negra (NW) .  Very light wind are variable between 2000 and 3800m and SW below and NE above.   One of the those days when it will be difficult to choose the right direction to start for if we are looking to maximise and open distance flight.

In the briefing we will have a quick look at the terrain towards the West and also airspace in all directions.

A very early start is not necessary.  I imagine we will await conditions at Peña Negra.

Far bottom is a analysis of the day between tornavacas and Avila and you will see potential climbs to over 5000m.  However, things drop off dramatically at 5pm

 

Here are a few designs I have developed for possible T shirts.  The 3rd one, Busy Thermal, is currently being printed.  Using direct digital printing now allows us to do shorter runs of high quality without having to get expensive plates made up for each colour for screen printing.   The latter always needed large runs to cover the set up costs.  Now we can do modest runs and I can have a bit more fun with different designs.

The top 3 are of a cartoony style reminiscent of our competition posters and shirts back in the 1990s.  the Sierra de Piedrahita is similar to a Charley Harper design i rather likes, and the last a rip of the Lichtensteins Whaam!  The latter two came from some of my animation experiments which you can see elsewhere.

T shirts are not everybody’s cup of tea.  I was advised many years ago by Frank Goodman that a gentleman should keep to a shirt and collar after the age of 40.  However, our guest always often ask for  T shirts as souvenirs, so here I am trying to fill that need.  If you are the sort who buys and sports this sort of garment I would welcome your input on which designs you prefer.

Jorge, our Retrieve and Take Off  technician is also a Fine Arts graduate and has been fulfilling that need for T shirts for the last few years and will also probably have his designs for this year as well.  Jorge has his own screen printing set up so is also able to smaller runs.  I will put his designs up as and when he gives them to me.

Today is looking like  a reasonably big xc day with base up near 4000m and winds from the SE.

Looks like there might be some deep Cu development if it goes much above 31 degrees C.  A nice line from Chia towards Salamanca or Cuidad Rodrigo.

It is looking a bit like a southerly and unstable influence for the week ahead, which does not always make for easy paragliding as we will not be able to use Peña Negra much initially.  However, flying XC to the north or NW is always interesting and better to keep out of airspaces.

For those who I pick up early tomorrow at the airport we may fly  at La Muela, a site within 50km of the airport.  We can then go back and pick up the latecomers at 5,30.

Another design sorted, this time for the 2015 British PG Nationals featuring Calvo.  This was produced at the request of Brett Janaway who is running the show these days and wanted a caricature of Calvo in there somewhere.

 

 

 

Today should be potentially OK for Peña Negra , if, the wind is not to far south west.  Certainly a day with less chance of showers and generally light wind.  Our biggest problem if it does not come on to the main launch is deciding on a SW site, Lastra, which is close by, or Pedro Bernardo.

 

Once again we have a trough directly over us at the moment.  Hopefully things will clear as they did yesterday leaving us with an option for flying.  The more westerly wind may allow us to fly at Peña Negra.

Finally the wind has dropped and moved more to the south.  We have low pressure both to the SW and the NW of Spain with a trough moving through today which will give us rain and also potential storms.  Once again a poor outlook for safe paragliding.

The lighter winds give us some hope, though it is unlikely that it the mountain anabatic wind will allow us to take off at Peña Negra.  Chia is not really the right direction if there is any SW in the wind.  Our other site lastra is possible and close, but not so good for short top to bottom flights.

A possibility is Pedro Bernardo, about 1.5 hrs away on the south side of the mountains.  A big site, but still with in the influence of these wet conditions.

Once again the whole of Spain is suffering these strong winds.  Today i our area at 1500m we have 40 km/hr, with 60m/hr at 3000m between E and SE.

Today we can look at various hiking routes in the Gredos mountains and or do a trip to  Avila.

It is so so windy that our plan of going to Chia to try to get an early flight in is a waste of time.   We should go to Salamanca or Avila to get Elias checked out.